Rahma El-Dennaoui, NS Wales: Parents suspected of faked abduction 7 years ago

5:25PM Saturday Nov 10, 2012 2,192 online
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Family back in focus over 'abduction' of toddler
Date
November 10, 2012
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Louise Hall
Court Reporter
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Alyaa and Hosayn El-Dennaoui last month. Photo: Jacky Ghossein
WHEN little Rahma El-Dennaoui vanished from her Sydney home seven years ago, investigators immediately suspected her parents or extended family were involved.

Police initially focused on those closest to her, particularly her parents, Hosayn and Alyaa El-Dennaoui.

But detectives found no history of neglect, domestic violence, mental health issues or drug abuse. The El-Dennaouis' eight children at the time of the incident (Alyaa is now expecting her 13th) were well fed, well dressed, well behaved and always taken to the doctor when they were ill. Both mother and father were ''warm and open'' with police and appeared willing to assist the investigation.

Unsurprisingly, detectives quickly focused on other lines of inquiry. A suspected paedophile who lived near the El-Dennaouis' home in Lurnea became the prime suspect. But he was eventually ruled out. Investigators also travelled to Lebanon, following a lead that suggested a childless uncle may have been behind the abduction, but that theory and thorough searches of Department of Immigration records didn't amount to much.


At an inquest this week, Detective Sergeant Nicholas Sedgwick said a review of the investigation last year led him to believe the El-Dennaoui family were in fact involved in Rahma's death, the disposal of her body and the staging of the abduction on November 9 and 10, 2005.

During hearings at Glebe Coroner's Court in April, Hosayn and Alyaa marked different spots as to where Rahma had been sleeping in the living room before being taken into the bedroom and put next to her sisters about 2am. Hosayn said a large cable drum, which would have allowed someone to access the bedroom window, was placed there on November 9; Alyaa said it was done weeks before.

Police began to secretly record their phone calls, which were translated into English. The family talked in code and joked about claiming the reward money. In September, family members were brought in for questioning, simultaneously, to ''limit the continuous collusion''. Each was put back on the stand during hearings this month and last, where they were grilled on inconsistencies.

At the end of the inquest, Detective Sedgwick said he now believed Rahma was agitated and crying due to illness and Hosayn and Alyaa were responsible for her death. Other family members covered it up out of loyalty, he said.

But David Evenden, representing Hosayn, said there was nothing more than ''rumour and speculation''.

There was no forensic evidence of any violence, accident, mishap or subsequent clean-up in the house, nor were there records of panicked phone calls that would be expected in such a scenario.

Mr Evenden admitted police had uncovered some inconsistencies in the evidence, but he told the Deputy State Coroner Sharon Freund this was not enough to prove the family was involved in a ''cover-up''.

''Some of them provide a basis for suspicion - but even if one put them all together, they don't raise that suspicion above speculation,'' Mr Evenden said.

He asked Ms Freund to find that Rahma was abducted.

Counsel assisting the Coroner, Robert Bromwich, SC, urged an open finding, saying while there was evidence that pointed to an abduction, a body of material also suggested an abduction was staged as a cover-up.

Ms Freund will hand down her finding on Thursday.

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Parallels !
It might be the same story.

Admin.
needs merging

PeterMac wrote:Admin.
needs merging

I agree, but I think this headline will catch more readers?

PeterMac wrote:Admin.
needs merging

Yes sir boss, have done so[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

What a shame the family didn't have the services of a Clarence Mitchell.

Then we could have had:

A family friend reacted: "It's outrageous that the incompetent Australian police should even have thought of intercepting the calls of a distraught family, never mind actually doing so"

or

A source close to th e couple's legal team said: "There is absolutely no credible evidence that Rahma is dead. The couple are strong believers in the freedom of speech and have no objection to people purporting propounding theories, but to circulate speculations, innuendos and inaccuracies is hurtful, unhelpful, and, and...they'll sue anyone who dares to suggest this wasn't an abduction".

'During hearings at Glebe Coroner's Court in April, Hosayn and Alyaa marked different spots as to where Rahma had been sleeping in the living room before being taken into the bedroom and put next to her sisters about 2am. Hosayn said a large cable drum, which would have allowed someone to access the bedroom window, was placed there on November 9; Alyaa said it was done weeks before.'
unquote

Cable drum giving access through window and the one child that was fractious selected from amongst her apparently trouble free siblings...

Jemmied shutters and one observed, overactive, badly sleeping child selected in favour of a comatose sibling of more suitable age...

These abductors aren't too bright are they?

A Review into a child's disappearance that begins with the parents and family, and the inconsistencies in their story..... surely not? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Operation Grange might want to take some notes, as they seem to be deaf dumb and blind when it comes to the dodgy duo and their absurdly concocted, ever changing version of events. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Some notable differences though: no worldwide publicity from Day One - I'd never heard of this case before - and no fund set up supposedly with the aim of continuing the search when the main police force had given up (somehow being aware that the child wouldn't be found before then) and no threats to ruin anyone who raised doubts about the parents' story.

A cable drum !
Damn !
We completely missed that one !

Hosayn said a large cable drum, which would have allowed someone to access the bedroom window, was placed there on November 9; Alyaa said it was done weeks before.

Damn, this abductor also did a dry run earlier.

Same triad?

Scary.

I sometimes think about beeing in the parents place of MM

I would call an ambulance. But imagine that was not an option.


What would you do? You got 2 min to make a desicion